Charcoal Grill..transporting, best charcoal, how to light?

[leencharlotte]

X20 on the weber charcoal chimney but I now use the weber lighter cubes, 2 cubes and guaranteed charcoals without the newspaper ash. Also swear by lump charcoal rather than briquettes.

[oxcamper]

Royal Oak natural wood charcoal. But we use a Green Egg and it's highly recommended to not use the commercial briquettes. Starting is easy with paper or small pieces of cardboard.
Briquettes generally have a variety of wood and wood products to make them up and some add petroleum based starter materials to the mix so it's a quick match light.

[prof_fate]

great info, all! Thanks.
Got some 'regular' charcoal at wally world and the weber starter.
Now all I need is the weather to cooperate..grilling in the rain is no doubt an advanced skill. :P

[ryand]

FYI-

Lowes has their Memorial Day sale this weekend. 9.99 for 40# of Kingsford blue. I loaded up with 240lbs. It's a great deal with no limit.

[ryand]

Some photos on my blog of the new Weber Jumbo Joe....I cooked bkfst/lunch and dinner on this baby. It is indeed sweet. Couppled with my firestarter its hard to beat. I know....i am technically still using gas, but what would fire the lantern?

See link in signature below.

[USNMM1VETERAN]

Hey man best way to light is easy. I use no lighter fluid. I use a blow torch! No really I have one of those propane torches that you can screw on to either the little fat cans or the skinnier ones. You stack your charcoal in a pyramid concentrate flame at base of coals, move flame around base an in a couple minutes you will have a hot coal base and not long after a great even fire. I hate lighter fluids and after having fought newspaper or those briquette chimneys I was almost ready to go to gas grille. Then one day I saw my propane torch kit and thought, " This should work lots of hot fire and it's pretty cool". Used it everyday last week and it made making dinner more enjoyable than hoping the fire will light.

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[185RB-Florida]

I've been cooking for many years with wood. Primarily oak and some citrus of various types. I scavange it from roadsides in neighborhoods already cut up on side of road awaiting pickup, for free. Occasionally I buy a load from a local tree cutting business whom sells firewood very inexpensive to the public. Anyhow, I process mine with a bandsaw into forearm length pieces and also cut them to fist sized chunks afterwards. I start a small amount of charcoal and then put the wood on it and off it goes. There is no better flavor than cooking with wood. IMO no rubs or marinades are necessary and everyone regardless of background or tastes raves about my food when over for a cookout. I have a side firebox smoker grill at home and I only grill with wood. For camping I bring a large plastic box of prepared wood and cook that way as well. It's lots of fun tending the fire with drinks and socializing wether at home or at the camp.
Cooking with wood does require more tending however, but once you get the hang of it after a few times, it is second nature and enjoyable.
jt

[keith_h]

I generally use oak or hickory to cook with. Whenever I get firewood for the house I always split some down further for a kitchen stack that I use in a fire pit with a grate. The grate we own is large enough to cook two splayed chickens and folds flat when not in use. As it's been mentioned it takes a bit more monitoring while cooking. You also have to plan ahead to get the fire started and good coal bed built up but I think it is worth it.

[prof_fate]

UPDATE:
Finally had the family together and no rain so got to cook out - used the weber chimney to start the charcoal..OMG! I'm used to starting way early and waiting...and waiting..not this time. Started easy and was ready before i was!

Def gonna cook out more now!

Thanks all!